Tag: alternative fuels

EMSA has published a study on the use of ethyl and methyl alcohol as alternative fuels for reducing both the emissions and carbon footprint of ship operations.

Since the stricter sulphur limit of 0.10% m/m was implemented in the ECAs from 1 January 2015, options available to ship owners and operators have been the use of marine gas oil or distillates, heavy fuel oil in combination with scrubbers, LNG or alternative fuels such as biofuels.

 The trials are due to begin in the first half of 2016, and will see the fuel supplied from the Gibraltar-San Roque refinery to Maersk ships following the installation of an MSAR manufacturing unit at the site. Installation and operation permits are currently being sought for the new unit.The trial program is expected to run until the end of 2016, or early 2017 when engine tests on the fuel will be completed. Subsequently, the sale of the fuel from the refinery would be made following regulatory and commercial approvals.“We are delighted to have this opportunity to meet the fuel requirements of a leading partner in the marine industry with Maersk using a pioneering technology from Quadrise. Cepsa has been a leader in marine fuel technology for many years and this agreement will help to consolidate our position,” said Federico Molina, head of Cepsa´s Refining Unit.Quadrise has developed the fuel to provide an alternative for shipping, refining and power generation markets.  The MSAR oil-in-water emulsion fuel technology makes heavy hydrocarbon residues easier to use by producing a lower viscosity oil mixed with water.  Alternative fuel emulsions, which are water in oil, are produced from heavy fuel oil.  By emulsifying refinery residues, ...

 Japanese Scientists consider algae as a potential abundant source of biofuel, media reports.Sachio Nishio, a professor of agriculture at Shikoku University Junior College, has been researching algal biofuel for about 10 years. According to Nishio, Scenedesmus, a genus of microalgae measuring about 20 micrometers,  is strong enough to withstand a wide range of temperatures, from about 40 degrees to ice cold. Up to 50 percent of the organism's dry weight is oil and, theoretically, Scenedesmus can multiply by more than twice in number over a course of 24 hours.With large-scale production at low cost a possibility, many corporations are jumping on the algae fuel bandwagon.Heavy industry giant IHI Corp. erected a 1,500-square-meter facility in Kagoshima earlier this year. Commissioned by the central government's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), the facility was established as one of the nation's largest algal production plants.The company had been cultivating algae in a facility in Yokohama on a trial basis, but decided to erect the new facility down south where the warmer climate and longer daylight hours provide the perfect environment for the mass production of algae.Botryococcus is grown in the Kagoshima plant. It's a tiny algae measuring just a few micrometers ...

 Researchers at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) have unlocked a treasure chest of ‘super-algae’ that could provide a previously untapped source of oil.Using a newly devised technique, scientists examined micro-algae strains in the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP), an internationally important algal store based at SAMS in Oban, to find out which ocean-based strains had the highest oil content.The screening revealed two marine strains, Nannochloropis oceanica (pictured below) and Chlorella vulgaris, which had a dry-weight oil content of more than 50 per cent. This makes them ideal sources of biofuel for vehicles and aircraft.The results of the screening, part of the BioMara project, have been published in Nature’s online journal Scientific Reports and are likely to help bring forward research into algae as a source of biodiesel and other biofuels by a number of years.SAMS scientists have demonstrated that Nannochloropsis, for example, is very efficient at converting nutrients, so it has the perfect combination of high levels of oil and high productivity.The report’s lead author, Dr Stephen Slocombe, SAMS research associate in molecular biology, said: “In order to produce biofuels from micro-algae we will have to generate high yields, so we need to know which strains ...

(Image Credit: Red and White Fleet) Sandia National Laboratories and San Francisco's Red and White Fleet are partnering to to design, build and operate a high-speed hydrogen fuel cell passenger ferry and hydrogen refueling station. Hydrogen fuel cells have several advantages over the diesel engines that power most passenger ferries — no harmful exhaust emissions, higher energy efficiency, quiet operation and no risk of fuel spills. Replacing diesel engines and generators with hydrogen fuel cells could greatly improve air and water quality in harbor areas. The hydrogen refueling station is planned to be the largest in the world and serve fuel cell electric cars, buses and fleet vehicles in addition to the ferry and other maritime vehicles. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) is funding a feasibility study to examine the technical, regulatory and economic aspects of the project. “The Maritime Administration is committed to finding new and efficient technologies for use in the maritime industry that reduce pollution and protect our environment,” said Maritime Administrator Paul ‘Chip’ Jaenichen. “This industry continues moving forward on renewable energy and clean-fuel options, and this project encourages a shift toward lower impact maritime fuels that may further green the waterborne link in our ...

  Butamax Advanced Biofuels, LLC,  has welcomed the recent announcement by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) in support of the use of fuels blended with up to 16 percent biobutanol in recreational marine engines. This decision follows five years of evaluation performed by NMMA with the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), under the direction and guidance of the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Specifically, biobutanol was identified as a safe and compatible option for growing the use of renewable fuels in marine engines. It complements the extensive body of work sponsored and published by Butamax on the value and compatibility of 16 percent biobutanol blends with automotive engines and refueling infrastructure. Jeff Wasil, BRP-Evinrude Engineering Manager for Emissions Testing, Certification & Regulatory Development and a key contributor to the NMMA biobutanol evaluation, noted “BRP-Evinrude and the marine industry appreciate the technical expertise Butamax provided to NMMA’s marine engine evaluation program, as well as Butamax’s long-term efforts to bring biobutanol to the fuels market for our customers.”   Biobutanol-blended fuels are especially valuable for use in marine engines, as they are highly resistant to phase separation in the presence of water and have been demonstrated to offer ...

  DNV GL has released a position paper that presents a methodology for evaluating alternative fuels, adding sustainability and safety considerations. Trends in pricing are an obvious factor to consider when examining the feasibility of new fuels, but sustainability and safety also have an impact on the ultimate affordability of change. “The Fuel Trilemma: Next Generation of Marine Fuels” looks at the rapidly diversifying fuel market from the perspective of affordability, sustainability and safety. These three factors will govern the importance of any energy source chosen to meet regulatory requirements for CO2, SOx and NOx – requirements that are already pushing the limits of what can be achieved with conventional fuels and exhaust gas cleaning technology. A growing diversity of fuel options has seen LNG becoming well established and opened some potential for biofuels to gradually replace fossil fuels. Electricity from the grid, methanol and hydrogen have their place for certain geographic areas and ship types, too. “In all cases, the cost associated with machinery, as well as the expected fuel price, will play a dominant role for shipowners as they make changes to their fleet,” says Christos Chryssakis, Senior Researcher at DNV GL. “However, safety and sustainability have an impact ...

  John Kokarakis, VP Engineering, Bureau Veritas presentation during the 2015 GREEN4SEA Forum The tsunami of emission related regulations and the need for environmental friendliness also dictates the utilization of alternate fuels less polluting than HFO. The star player is LNG but  not the only player though. Future ships will burn a variety of fuels; hydrogen, synthetic fuels and biofuels will be chosen depending on the characteristic of the ship.   Nowadays, we are facing an utterly confusing and conflicting tsunami of fuel regulations. Fuel is the most expensive OPEX item and plays an important role in defining the future of the shipping industry. The drivers for new marine fuels are: regulations, financial considerations and available technology. In the future, there is going to be coexistence of multiple fuels. Be aware that the wrong fuel choice has major impact on commercial performance of the vessel. Pioneer owners may be confronted with unforeseen technical issues costing time and money. However shipping thrives through innovation and technology development. The fact that the charterer pays the fuel removes the motivation from the owners to use alternative fuels. Lack of bunkering facilities and supply chains are barriers for the introduction of new “exotic” fuels. Due to ...